Voting apparatus



(No Model.) v 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. P. HOPPMAN.

VOTNG APPARATUS. No. 435,225. Patented Aug. 26,` 1890.

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P. HOFFMAN. VOTING APPARATUS.

Patnted Aug. 26.1890.

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120.435,225. Patented Aug. 26, 1890.

W/TNESSES f A TTOHNE YS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER HOFFMAN, OF FORT BRANCH, INDIANA.

VOTING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,225, dated August 26, 1890.

Application filed March 17, 1890. Serial No. 344,240. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER HOFFMAN, of Fort Branch, in the county of Gibson and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Voting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of an improvement in voting apparatus; and it consists in certain Anovel constructions and combinations of parts which may be easily secured together and taken down and folded, which when properly erected will afford means for keeping the Voters in line and for secluding them while marking their ballots, and will afford suitable desks for the judges, inspector, and clerks, and a support for the ballot-boxes, poll-book, dac., and which maybe compactly folded for convenience in transportation and storage.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan View of my apparatus as inA use. Fig. 2 is a perspective View thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail side View of a part of one of the booths. Fig. 4 is a detail view ofone of the trestles. Fig. 5 is a detail View of the rail. Fig. 6 is a detail View of the table. Fig. 7 is a detail View of the bulletin-board and its legs. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the hooked end of the rail, and 9 is a detail view of the ballot-box.

As elections are held at considerable intervals apart, it is hardly practicable to construct, arrange, or keep permanently furnished apartments adapted for such purpose. It becomes, therefore, quite an object to provide means by which. any ordinary room may be quickly fitted for the holding of an election and to make such fixtures so that they can be easily erected for use and can then be compactly disposed for transportation or storage, to enable their reuse when desired.

In carrying outniy invention I'provide a guideway A, through which the voters may be directed to the entrance to the pollingroom, the booths B in said room, in which the tickets are marked by the voters, the rail C, excluding the voters from the quarters occupied by the judges, poll-clerks, dac., and the table or desk D. The guideway is preferably formed, as shown, of standards or uprights A and ropes a, the uprights having openings or eyes a for the passage of the rope." The standards A at the outer end of the guideway are preferably threaded at their upper ends to receive threaded coupling-sleeves A2, which couple to said standards leg-like supports e, which are pivoted at their upper ends to the bulletin-board E, so that they may be folded fiat alongside the same when taken apart. This bulletin-board serves to receive the various tickets or ballots, so that the voters may supply themselves as they pass into the guideway. As the standards or uprights A are simply stakes driven into the ground, it is obvious that they may be quickly set in position and removed, and also that they may be set in any suitable arrangement to effect a guidance of the voters between any two points not too far separated. As stated, the guideway leads to the entrance of the voting-room. In this room I arrange the rail C, within which is arranged the table, dac., while outside of such rail I arrange the booths, such booths being located between the guideway and the ballot-box support or table, so that the voter, after passing out of the guideway, can enter one of the inelosures or booths and mark his ticket, so securing a secret ballot. The rail is preferably formed in two or more pieces pivoted at C', one or both of such pieces being extensible, preferably by making them in sections to slide one along the other, one of such sections having a longitudinal dovetail rib C2 and the other a groove to receive such rib, so that the said sections may be adjusted longitudinally to shorten or lengthen the rail, as may be desired. At one end the rail is adjusted against the side wall of the room, while at its opposite end it hooks over a bolt D on the side post of the innermost booth B, such rail having a slot d in its under side near such end to receive said bolt D. The rail is supported on adjustable trestles F, such trestles being formed of legs f andf, the leg f having a shoulder-f2 to supportthe rails, and the leg f being adjustable toward the leg f by means of screw f3, so that the rail which is grooved at F to fit in the trestle may be clamped securely therein.

The booths B, of which I preferably use several, as shown, are alike, and comprise back bars B B2, back uprights B3, front uprights B4, and connecting-bars B5B6, extended IOO between the back and front uprights, and are pivotally connected with each of such uprights, so that the uprights and connecting bars of each side frame may be folded compactly together. The back uprights are secured to the cross back bars B B2 by bolts and thumbnuts B7, as shown. The sides of the booths are inclosed by curtains G, secured at their rear and top edges, respectively, to the bars B8 and B5, and having their front lower corner detachably secured by providing at such corner a button-hole g to t over a button g', as will be understood from Fig. 8.

Within each booth I arrange a writingdesk I-I, preferably supported on the lower back bar B2.

Each booth has a door I, formed of a suitable frame, and a curtain or closure, suoli door being hinged at one edge at i, provided at such edge with a spring I', tending to hold the door closed and to close it when opened, and provided at its opposite or swinging edge with a cushion or rubber button i', by which the closing of the door is cushioned and rendered noiseless.

The desk D is hinged at one edge at J to two of the trestles, and is supported at its other edge by legs K, preferably connected by hinge-joint with said table, so that they may fold up against the same.

The ballot-boxes are shown as formed of two boxes or sections hinged together at L and provided with a fastening hook and eye 'Z and a leather strap, which stays them when swung apart, and forms the handle by which to lift them when closed. Such boxes are secured to the table by means ofthe bolt M,

cross-pieces, asshown in Figs. l and 2. These boards N close in the backs of the booths and serve, when the booths are not placed against the Wall of a room, to prevent persons in the booths showing their tickets to those in the other booths.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. The improved election or voting apparatus, comprising the booths having foldable frames, the table forming the ballot-box support, and the rail extended between the booths and the table, said rail being formed in sections and adjustable longitudinally, whereby it may be extended or contracted to adapt the apparatus to different rooms, and may be contracted for convenience in transportation and storage, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The improved election or voting apparatus herein described and shown, consisting of the booths having their frames formed of bars pivotally connected, whereby they may fold together, the ^longitudinally-extensible rail positively connected with said booths, the trestles arranged to support the said rail, and the table D, hinged at one edge to the said trestles and provided with hinged legs, whereby to support its opposite or free edge, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In an election or voting apparatus, a booth or inclosure having its frame formed with bars pivotally jointed, whereby it may be folded, having its .sides suitably closed and provided with a door, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In an election or voting apparatus, the improved booth herein described, consisting of the back bars B B2, back uprights B3, front uprights B4, and connecting-bars B5 B, extended between and pivotally connected with bars B3 B4, and the curtains G, secured at their rear and top edges, respectively, to the bars B3 and B5, and detachably secured at the front lower corner and the door, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

PETER HOFFMAN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM W. FRENCH, AUGUST RODEMANN. 

